Keeping Teen Workers Safe on Heavy Machinery

For a young worker, a job on the farm can be rewarding, but also hazardous. Farms are busy places with large animals and heavy machinery.

According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, between 60 and 70 teens die from job-related injuries each year. To help minimize the dangers to young workers, the group offered up the following tips for teens to avoid heavy machinery hazards:

• Don’t use equipment you haven’t been trained to use
• Use earplugs or earmuffs in high noise work areas
• Use safety glasses or goggles when exposed to flying particles
• Wear appropriate protective clothing, gloves and shoes for the job
• Do not ride in the cargo area of pickup trucks
• Use guards and safeguard devices on machinery
• Never reach into, or perform maintenance on, any equipment that has not been properly shut down

Do you have teens working on your farm? What kind of on-the-job training do you provide to keep them safe during their tasks?

Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania College of Technology